WHAT I'D DO WITH THE JETER BALL... I THINK

(Photo: New York Times)
2 of my friends asked me what I’d do with the Jeter baseball if I caught it. I looked at them and said I’d return it. Immediately, I was attacked with their own valid points, but the big point was money. For those few moments, I felt like an idiot. The more I thought about it, there would be nothing better than to make a few extra bucks for my kids college or hell, a really nice vacation. So, needless to say, I was confused. But then I thought about it more and I stuck with my gut; If I actually had the ball in my hands, it would be about the game, not greed.

I'm a baseball fanatic and you’ve heard me say that dozens of times on BYB. I love Cooperstown, the different ballparks, the players and the history. I love everything about it. Over the many years that I've been a fan, there is always something that has tarnished or stopped the game for fans for a short amount of time. Fans eventually come back, but then history repeats itself and it happens again.

For me, it all started with the loss of Thurman Munson. His death was a shot in the heart of every baseball fan. Baseball stopped. Then, we all came together on the Nationally televised "Munson game" when Bobby Murcer won the game for Thurman and his family by hitting a home run.

In the 80's, I watched Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader beat Ty Cobb to become number 1. Then suddenly, we watched Rose be banned from the game for life because he bet on his own team. Baseball finally got back to normal and then came the 1994 baseball strike. All the fans walked away from the game this time and it took a while to get the fans back, but we came back only to be disappointed by the steroids scandal. Luckily, the true baseball fans stick around through the tragedies of the game, but that brings me back to today.

My knee jerk reaction would be to give Derek Jeter’s 3000^th hit ball back to Derek Jeter asking for nothing in return. I’d like to think I’d do that, only to be celebrated with gifts from the New York Yankees, Jeter himself, Steiner sports, thanks from the fans, hell, maybe the Mayor would give me the key to the city. Then, at least at that point I’d have my own piece of history in Yankeeland and my name would be Gold in the Bronx. Hell, with whatever memorabilia I received, I could probably make a profit on ebay any way, or just keep it for myself or for my sons. Believe me, I'd be OK.

Then again I thought to myself , "If I really had the ball, would I be that kind? Would greed take over? Would I negotiate a ridiculous price and act like a total prick only to be hated by fans and Major League baseball alike?" Think about it, I would in fact have the control. I could ask for a high price because I would be the only one with the ball. I could ask for enough money to put my kids through school or buy front row seats at the stadium for quite a while. But I would also be criticized, abused and probably be branded an A-hole by the game I love the most.

When push comes to shove, I believe in karma and I believe in Yankee history. Not that I would expect good things to follow, but I would hope that doing the right thing, returning the ball as to not tarnish baseball history, would eventually get me something in return, Thanks. Thanks from the fans for not blowing it like Pete Rose did or the Steroid offenders did, but rather keep the game entact and at the same time having my moment. I think that’s what I’d do, because I love the game, plain and simple.

Back in 1961 Roger Maris didn’t want his ball back from the guy who caught his 61^st home run. Instead, Maris told Sal Durante to try to get some money for it. Now, Jeter could have done that I guess, but he didn’t. You can’t blame Jeter or call him selfish though. You have to understand something; Roger Maris probably didn’t want that 1961 baseball. While it was a huge accomplishment, he was stressed to the max that year; his hair fell out, he was abused by the fans because they didn't want Babe Ruth's record broken. Even looking at that ball would probably have brought back memories of a grouling season. Derek Jeter accomplished something in Yankee history that no Yankee ever did ever, but it’s a different ball with different memories attached to it. To Derek, it's a career, not a stressful season. Put yourself in Jeet’s shoes, you’d want it too. Jeter did the right thing, he gave Christian Lopez memorabilia, jerseys, a photo op, a handshake and thanks. Plus, you have to realize in this day and age, baseball is a bigger business than ever. Every pebble of dirt, base, bat and God knows what else is about to be sliced up and sold as the "Official game" materials that were at the 3000^th hit game. This isn’t 1961, this is big business.

To me, at the end of the day, I think that baseball goes on Jeter’s shelf for a bit, then to Cooperstown and is displayed for the world to see whenever they want to see it and to me, if I was the one who caught it, I’d be thrilled by that. I could go up to Cooperstown, probably with a free pass, walk up to the display and look at the exhibit. In it would be a set of Jeter’s cleats, maybe his jersey, the baseball and a description that reads, "This ball was caught by Casey of BYB. He caught it and gave it back to Derek Jeter... not for greed, but to preserve the game of baseball.”

That’s how I see it anyway.

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